This week was all about the weather. Monday was very warm and humid, the kind of day that you just want to sit in front of an air conditioner and try to quit sweating. About ten o’clock, Elder Sorenson called and invited us to join them and Chatterton’s for lunch at the YMCA buffet to celebrate Sister Sorenson’s birthday. We accepted the invitation and made our way to the YMCA and back to our apartment, riding the shuttle both ways, yet feeling as though we had run a marathon because of the effect the heat and humidity had on us physically. We stayed in the apartment the rest of the day, Karen beat me without mercy in a game of Five Crowns. It’s the first time she has not shown any Missionary compassion in the last ten or so months.
Tuesday we left early for the office because Karen needed to be there early for a reason that I cannot remember or maybe never knew. We worked until around three o’clock when we realized we were both so tired we needed a nap. I suggested we find a couple couches in the building and take a nap but she suggested we call it a day and head back to the apartment. Of course, we cleaned up a few things and were back at the apartment within the hour. Karen and I laid down and slept for about two hours. When we woke we talked about how exhausted we feel in this heat. We checked our phones for emails that might have come during the time we were asleep and saw a strong wind signal had been posted by the whether service here in Hong Kong. It was a preliminary warning and indicated that a Typhoon was a couple hundred kilometers out and heading toward us.
Later that night around midnight it starting raining and the wind started howling outside our bedroom window. It increased in intensity every hour until the rain was so noisy pelting our window and the wind whistling and howling through our window it was impossible to sleep. At four-thirty Karen and I were wide awake and watching the storm warnings which were now indicating that a number eight typhoon warning would be issued in the next two hours. Since it had calmed down for the time, we decided to go for a walk before it hit hard. We went out on the harbor promenade and walked for about forty minutes in a fairly cool and calm light rain. It was quite refreshing and well timed because just as we returned to our apartment the wind began to pick up significantly.
Shortly after our walk the number 8 signal was issued and we spent the rest of the day inside as the intensity of the storm increased to the point warranting the weather service to issue a number 10 signal. Before the end of the storm it became one of the strongest typhoons to hit Hong Kong in many years, making our serving our mission here historic. Kind of like when I was at the world series during the earth quake in San Francisco some years ago, or in West Yellowstone during the fires. Maybe even when Karen and I were near Mount Saint Helens when she erupted.
That was our Wednesday typhoon. We repeated the same kind of experience again Sunday, with a #8 typhoon. Church throughout Hong Kong was cancelled, we all spent a second day this week staying safe indoors. Total typhoon count during our mission- Number 8 storms - 4. Number 10 storms - 1.
In addition to mine and Karen's study of the Book of Mormon and Preach my Gospel, I have focused on the Doctrine and Covenants in my personal study. As part of that I have read the first six volumes and about half of the seventh volume of the History of the Church. I am sure that I could have only read it as a missionary because of both the length and content. I could not have maintained the required discipline and focus to complete the project outside of the Mission Field.
I would recommend for any who are subject to doubt concerning the work of Joseph Smith to read this history. It is uncensored and not written to win favor but is full of sworn documents, notes and letters that are created as one lives and could be found following any one of our lives.
I will share one piece of the history for this blog.
"Brother Richards was very much troubled, and exclaimed, `Oh! Brother Taylor, is it possible that they have killed both Brother Hyrum and Joseph? It cannot surely be, and yet I saw them shoot them;' and, elevating his hands two or three times, he exclaimed, `Oh Lord, my God, spare Thy servants!' He then said, `Brother Taylor, this is a terrible event;' and he dragged me farther into the cell, saying, `I am sorry I cannot do better for you;' and, taking an old, filthy mattress, he covered me with it, and said, `That may hide you, and you may yet live to tell the tale, but I expect they will kill me in a few moments!' While lying in this position I suffered the most excruciating pain. Soon afterwards Dr. Richards came to me, informed me that the mob had precipitately fled, and at the same time confirmed my worst fears that Joseph was assuredly dead. I felt a dull, lonely, sickening sensation at the news. When I reflected that our noble chieftain, prophet of the living God, had fallen, and that I had seen his brother in the cold embrace of death, it seemed as though there was a void or vacuum in the great field of human existence to me, and a dark gloomy chasm in the kingdom, and that we were left alone. Oh, how lonely was that feeling! How cold, barren and desolate! In the midst of difficulties he was always the first in motion; in critical positions his counsel was always sought. As our Prophet he approached our God, and obtained for us his will; but now our Prophet, our counselor, our general, our leader, was gone, and amid the fiery ordeal that we then had to pass through, we were left alone without his aid, and as our future guide for things spiritual or temporal, and for all things pertaining to this world, or the next, he had spoken for the last time on earth. "
History of the Church, Vol. 7, chapter 9
Our good friend Elder Jenson checking out the Harbor at our apartments. This was early in the morning just as the storm was starting. Needless to say he spent the rest of the day indoors. This poor tree is one of many we saw after the storm had passed.
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